1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of compressing and decompressing an executable file in a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly to a method of compressing and decompressing an executable file in a mobile communication terminal capable of improving a compression manner of an executable file necessary for an operation of the mobile communication terminal, thereby reducing a booting time of the terminal and smoothly carrying out a wireless upgrade service.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A boot-up process of a mobile communication terminal having mounted a predetermined operating system therein is a process progressed from after power is applied thereto until an initial screen is displayed. The boot-up process can be specifically divided into (1) an initialization process of a central control unit, (2) an initialization process of a RAM, (3) an initialization process of a hardware and (4) an initialization process of a task.
(1) The initialization process of the central control unit is a process of initializing a central control unit of the mobile communication terminal such as micro processor unit (MPU) or micro controller unit (MCU). (2) The initialization process of the RAM is a process of filling a zero-initialization area of the RAM with number 0 and then copying a code stored in an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) into a code area of the RAM. (3) The initialization process of the hardware is a process of initializing all hardware in the mobile communication terminal. (4) The initialization process of the task is a process of initializing an operating system (OS) of a mobile station module (MSM).
Among the initialization processes constituting the boot-up process, the initialization process of the RAM and the initialization process of the task take the most time to progress the boot-up process.
In the mean time, as the communication industry has been developed and the mobile communication service has been rapidly expanded, many people possess the mobile communication terminal. In addition, in order to meet the needs for a variety of function improvements of users, various functions such as reproduction of a music file, wireless internet and the like have been added to the mobile communication terminal, in addition to the basic telecommunication function.
As the various additional functions have been added to the mobile communication terminal, it is increased the time required for the boot-up process since every additional functions should be also initialized when the terminal is booted. Specifically, when the boot-up process of the terminal is progressed, an operating system of the additional function such as WIPI module of the wireless internet, camera module of a digital camera and the like should be copied to the code area of the memory. In addition, when the operating system of the additional function is copied to the code area, a task of the additional function should be initialized. Accordingly, any function is added to the mobile communication terminal, it is also increased the booting time required for the boot-up process due to the increase of the copying time to the code area of the memory and the increase of the time to initialize the task of the additional functions.
In order to solve the problem in that the booting time is increased due to the additional functions, the conventional technology adopts a method of compressing an executable file. In other words, according to the prior art, the RAM initialization and the task initialization are progressed by storing the compressed executable file in the EEPROM of the mobile communication terminal and copying the compressed executable file to the RAM.
However, the method of compressing the executable file according to the prior art adopts a manner of compressing the executable files (for example, gzip, bzip, etc.) entirely, so that it takes much time to decompress the entirely compressed executable file. As a result, the method cannot substantially reduce the booting time.
In addition, in recent years, as various functions are added, it is frequently required the firmware upgrade. When carrying out the wireless upgrade manner such as FOTA (Firmware Over The Air), if it is used the method of compressing entirely the executable files, it is prolonged the time necessary for the upgrade.